Wednesday, I’d parked my car and headed into the office, splashing my way through puddles in a cold, November rain (you’re welcome GNR fans) accompanied with a slight fog. I hummed a happy, little, nonsensical ditty to myself, smile plastered on my face and stepped into the doors and wiped my boots on the rug. A tenant in the building was stepping out of the kitchen with his first cup of coffee, he greeted me and commented, “what awful weather we’re having.”

We’re having awful weather? I turned, peered out the windows, turned back to him, nonplussed and said, “Really? I don’t think it’s so awful? I can find something wonderful about all weather.” I trailed off at the end, still dumbfounded over the “awful weather” comment. Sure, it was raining and a chilly 40-something degrees and it was foggy for my whole commute into the office, but there were so many other things I could appreciate due to the weather. The world took on a misty, sleepy, mysterious air. The remaining leaves on the trees were still lovely shades of yellow, brown and green and they drooped under the weight of the rain, small crystals dripping from their tips. He stared at me with eyes wide and stammered out, “Well… I guess that’s a good thing to be able to do then,” and he wandered down the hall to his office.

The weather was cozy weather. The kind that makes you want to curl up on the couch with a good book, a mug of hot something, snug under a warm blanket and even allow the cats to sleep on you for their selfish reason of sucking the life body heat from you. Since I was at the office and no couch time would be had, at least I was working during weather that made it unpleasant to be outside working or even taking a enjoyable walk around the neighborhood.

No one can control the weather, at least as far as I understand how that would work, so why let a cold, rainy day dampen your spirits? I realize that my oversimplified view of things seems to exclude those who suffer depression in the form of Seasonal Affective Disorder, but I am, quite thankfully, not one of those people (I have enough other stuff not working properly, thanks), and I do realize SAD exists.

I’ve been enjoying the change of seasons, even the cold November rain, as I always have. Wisconsin’s future may not have season changes due to global warming, so I better appreciate them while they are here. The transition from Fall into Winter allows the environment to rest, recover and in six months time from now, put on a spectacular show to be enjoyed by those lucky enough to view it.

Do you have a favorite season?

Can you see the silver-lining of most, if not all, situations and occurrences?

Ha! You crack me up. Complaining about the weather is the local pass-time here. I’m not sure what people would talk about if they couldn’t. My husband is from Australia and when we moved here, he told me, “I never heard anyone describe weather as ‘gross’ before I came to Vancouver.”

I most love summer, but summer here. I’ve lived in hot climates, and that is not for me. But I think I like all the seasons at the beginning. I think the change is what appeals to me the most. I just get bored of the same for too long.

I, too, get bored with the same old, same ol’. Right about March is when I start longing to see some green, and that can happen depending on how much snow we have at that time, but once Spring arrives in earnest, I truly appreciate smelling the damp earth and seeing things sprout from the soil.

I like all the seasons, spring with the smell of MUD and the promise of tulips and crocuses, summer looking forward to filling the barn with new hay and harvesting fresh veggies and listening to that first thunderstorm that awakens the iris flowers, fall because I love the colors and the smell of rotting leaves and winter because by then I’m tired of working outside and can officially watch themovie “White Christmas” without having my family roll their collective eyes in my direction!